Melanie Hamilton

Melanie Hamilton (1844-1873) was the wife of Major Ashley Wilkes.

Biography
Melanie Hamilton was born into the wealthy Hamilton family of Clayton County, Georgia, and she was the daughter of Colonel William R. Hamilton and the sister of Charles Hamilton. Their parents died when they were young, and they were raised by their uncle and aunt in Atlanta. In April 1861, Melanie became engaged to her distant cousin, Ashley Wilkes, much to the chagrin of Ashley's former love interest, Scarlett O'Hara, who then married Charles Hamilton. However, Melanie and Scarlett came to be friends, and, following the end of the American Civil War, Melanie became a social pillar of Atlanta, known for her charity and kindness. She died in childbirth in 1873.